Effect of Blue-Tinted Glazing on Thermal and Visual Perception in Neutral and Warm Thermal Conditions

Façade properties influence human responses in a multidomain manner and these interactions needs to be accounted for effective façades design, particularly to increase resilience to extreme heat. From existing research, it remains unclear whether the glazing colour properties can influence occupant thermal sensation, preferences, and acceptance, or whether higher temperatures affect glare sensation or view perception. This study investigates the combined influence of tinted glazing in façades through a preliminary experimental campaign with human participants exposed to varying glazing hues (neutral and blue) and indoor air temperatures. While previous research has examined the impact of coloured daylight on thermal and glare sensation under thermal conditions close to neutrality, this paper compares occupant responses at neutral and warm thermal conditions by performing repeated measurements.

An experiment was conducted to measure potential differences in human thermal sensation, acceptance, preference, and glare sensation under two thermal conditions (operative temperatures of 25°C and 30°C) and two daylight colours (neutral and blue). Thirty-nine participants were exposed to different combinations of temperature and glazing colour in a randomized order. Data were collected using questionnaires and thermal physiological sensors to capture human responses to these varying conditions. In terms of visual perception, the results demonstrate a distinction between the two visual scenarios, particularly regarding obstruction and glare at a neutral temperature. At the level of thermal sensation, the impact of blue-tinted glazing is not statistically significant with this number of participants. However, a slight difference is observed between the two scenarios at both temperature levels.